Democrats Aren’t Getting Their Message Out
Yes, it’s the oldest cliché in the world. A party loses the election and then whines “We couldn’t get our message out.” But God Damn it, the Democrats can’t get their message out.
This National Journal/Pew Research poll shows that Americans heavily favor Obama’s economic policies over those of his predecessor. The question was “What would do more to improve the economy in the next few years?”
46% chose “follow policies of Obama Administration.” 29% chose “follow policies of Bush Administration.” Independent voters favored Obama’s policies over Dumbya’s, 43% to 20%.
Great news, no? Unfortunately, these poll results, plus $5, will buy the Democrats a cappuccino at Starbucks the day after they’ve lost the election. It’s the same old story: Voters agree with the Democrats on the issues, and then on Election Day they vote Republican. The GOP is just plain better at churning out candidates that Joe Sixpack would like to have a beer with.
And lately the Rightwing Hate Machine has been getting louder and more obnoxious and reaching more people. Rightwing think tanks have spent decades perfecting the art of the soundbite. They’re getting more and more effective with their short gut-level phrases that totally bypass the intellect and go straight to the fight-or-flight reflex.
Democrats go on and on with mind-numbing statistics and long-range 25-point plans that might start taking effect in ten years. And these cerebral lectures are supposed to compete with “We’re gonna take back our country!” and “Lock and load!”
I hope the November election isn’t a disaster for Democrats, but one news story after another keeps telling us that Republicans might take back Congress because voters are falling under the hypnotic spell of the rightwing screamfucks. Surely there’s a Democrat out there somewhere who can translate today’s boring economic statistics into a few hard-hitting soundbites that Joe Sixpack will relate to. It’s our only hope.
Meanwhile, the Republicans are getting THEIR message out loud and clear. Four more teenage mutant inbreds have fallen under the spell of the GOP Racist Industrial Complex.
A Salvadoran immigrant, Abelino Mazaniego, was waiting at a bus stop in Summit, NJ when he was beaten to death by three teenagers. A fourth accomplice recorded the entire event on his cell phone.
Way to go, rightwing demagogues and hatemongers. Keep on spewing out the KKK rhetoric and captivating the inbreds. It’s working.
Labels: Abelino Mazaniego, National Journal/Pew Research poll
posted by Tom Harper @ 6:47 PM
9 Comments:
Someone we both know, once said I belong to no organized Party, I'm a Democrat. It holds true today as well.
If only we had a leader who would bite the Bullet and for once tell the people the truth. What a concept!
Someone else we both know did that once. FDR. Maybe the Dem. leaders should go back in time and learn their History.
"They’re getting more and more effective with their short gut-level phrases that totally bypass the intellect and go straight to the fight-or-flight reflex."
That's an excellent line, and frighteningly true. Just as scary is all the millions the GOP's corporate/big-money surrogates are anteing up to amplify those messages and drum them into the consciousness of everyone who turns on a TV or radio, or opens a newspaper.
Meanwhile, I barely see Democrats or hear a peep out of them.
As to people on the left who can hammer them back, the names Kucinich, Grayson, Dean and Boxer come to mind.
Maybe "the only thing we need to fear is fear itself"
But fear still makes a great motivator
Erik
In talking to some "No party" neighbors I find that they don't even follow what their party is doing and saying. In short they don't follow what's going on. One unemployed neighbor wasn't aware that her party voted against extending unemployment and yet she'll still vote for them come fall. She was totally unaware the names the rethugs called the unemployed.
First off, Kucinich is a dyed-in-the-wool Marxist baby killer and secondly, if the dums would only invest in a flotilla of whiteboards and dry erase markers, they'd get their message out.
It's all about the slogans. The Amerikaner Reich learned from their masters.
"Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer!"
"Deutschland Uber Alles"
"Sieg, Heil!"
"Real Americans"
"Taxed Enough Already"
"Liberal Media"
"Socialist Racist"
@Tim, that was Will Rogers, I believe said that. Another piece of useless information in my mind, for what it's worth. I do very well in pub quizzes :)
This is why this whole new citizen's media, blogs, getting out there and talking to people is so very important. This has been happening for longer than I have been alive and it will continue , unless we just start screaming our message the way the righties do.
Jess your correct on that, I just didn't feel like dropping his name.
He is one of my favs though. Now a test for you,what year did he say it?
Kidding..;)
Tim: No organized party, that sure describes them. I'm glad they don't march in lockstep like Republicans, but there's a time to pull together and get things done.
SW: Yes, it would be nice to hear a peep out of the Democrats, in and among all the shoutings from the right. We definitely need more people like Alan Grayson and Howard Dean.
Erik: Yup, fear and anger are great motivators.
Demeur: That kind of ignorance and apathy is appalling. But I've heard stories like that. A year or 2 ago there was an article saying that most people who don't have health insurance aren't even registered to vote. People have to stay informed and help themselves.
Randal: Or if all else fails, smoke signals.
Dave: Yup, the slogan is the message.
Jess: You're right, blogs, citizens' media, demonstrations -- it's all we have.
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